News
Local

Bowled over by donation

Submitted Photo
Jim Walt (right) presents a wooden bowl he made to Col. Colin Keiver, Commander of 8 Wing Trenton. The bowl was made using the wood from a maple tree that was donated to CFB Trenton by the Queen in the 1950s.

The story of how a pair of 67-year-old maple trees turned into a historic bowl is cut and dried, says the artifact’s creator, Jim Walt.
David Wheeler, a warrant officer on the base and someone Walt had been mentoring in the Quinte Woodturners Guild, had heard the trees had been stricken with Verticillium Wilt and been slated to be cut down.
The wilt, which causes the trees to die from the inside out, is a commonplace hazard to maple trees in the area
“So when he heard these trees were coming down, unbeknownst to him the history behind the trees, he got a hold of the staff that were taking the trees down to see if we could possibly get a few pieces.”
It was during a subsequent conversation with a long-time Trenton local that Walt first started to get the idea these trees were more than just pieces of dead wood.
Some digging around at the Trent Port Historical Society later and Walt had unearthed some startling information.
“I came to find out they were donated by the Queen back in the ‘50s at the same time as they donated the main gates.
“Dave didn’t know we has getting me these special trees, they were just dead trees to him and that’s all I thought they were too until we got talking and asking around.”
Armed with this new information Walt decided to make a bowl out of a piece of the historic wood and donate it back to CFB Trenton.
“They were just over the top,” said Walt about the base officers’ response. “I didn’t really understand the significance and historical value until you talk to these officers in the military, they take it all very serious.”
The bowl is going to be placed in a display case at the Earl of Bessborough Social House on the base along with other historical items.
“I was happy to give back,” said Walt. “After living in Trenton for 63 years and knowing and working with military people and ex-military people, I was just happy to do something and give it back to the base and to our service people.
“And to think that my name will be on it forever and sitting in a display, it’s just kind of cool.”
As for what’s going to happen to the plot where the trees used to stand?
While Walt cautioned he can’t be sure, he said he was told the base already has plans for that.
“They told me that the two trees that have died already are right in front of the command office at the base, and they’re being replaced with two oak trees that were planted at Vimy.”
CFB Trenton was unable to be reached for comment by press time.
tjmiller@postmedia.com